Paul Kapur is a professor in the Department of National Security Affairs, US Naval Postgraduate School.
Islamist militants based in Pakistan have played a major role in terrorism around the world and pose a significant threat to regional and international security. Although the Pakistan-militant connection has received widespread attention only in recent years, it is not a new phenomenon. Pakistan has, since its inception in the wake of World War II, used Islamist militants to wage jihad in order to compensate for severe political and material weakness. This use of militancy has become so important that it is now a central component of Pakistani grand strategy; supporting jihad is one of the principal means by which the Pakistani state seeks to produce security for itself. Contrary to conventional wisdom, the strategy has not been wholly disastrous. It has achieved important domestic and international successes, enabling Pakistan to confront stronger adversaries and shape its strategic environment without the costs and risks of direct combat, and to help promote internal cohesion to compensate for its weak domestic political foundations. Find out more about the book.
Harsh V. Pant, Distinguished Fellow and Head of Strategic Studies Programme, ORF
Pallavi Raghavan, Assistant Professor, Jindal Global Law School
Rakesh Sood, Distinguished Fellow, ORF
Vikram Sood, Advisor, ORF
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The timing of the event is from 11:00 a.m. to 1:10 p.m.
